Save Me: A Play of Great Tragedy and Love
by LePapillonDeLaPassion
Summary: Roger finds out a deep secret about Mimi, which will lead her into dark places Roger has never seen in her before. Can her save her in time before it's too late? Warning: contains some mildly graphic rape, suicide, and possibly anorexia.
1. Act I, Scene I: Confessions

A/N-Hi folks...um I know that my Repo! story is not complete but I'm stuck on it, so I was thinking of new stories to write when I came up with this idea for a RENT story, and I figured since I know the Broadway show by heart and it's my favorite musical, I should give it a shot! Just an fyi, please try to imagine Rosario Dawson as Mimi b/c in these situations, her innocent face works well. Thanks and please review! =DD

Thoughts and spanish lingo will be in italics, flashbacks will be in bold italics, and the story will be seperated into acts and scenes.

Disclaimer-I do not own RENT or anything to do with it, although if I could own a small portion, I'd own Mark the Mr. Scarfys striped scarf! *tee-hee* No copyright infringement intended.

Roger and Mimi: Here goes..here goes-Me: will you stop singing, please? Here IT goes!

Act I, Scene I

Rogers P.O.V.

_I never thought Mimi would die like this...she-Roger, shut up! She is NOT going to die! But...she's so weak and thin and...I don't know what to do, god, I hate to see her like this. She used to be so strong, but I didn't pay attention...Maybe if I did, she wouldn't be...dying...Shit. _

*about a year ago*

"Mimi, will you hurry up? Roger yelled..."We told Mark and the gang that we'd meet him at the Life 2 HOURS ago!"  
>Mimi muttered under her breath...<em>hombres, hombres, hombres. No puede una niña de tomarse su tiempo?<br>_"What did you say?" Roger called out.  
>"Nothing, nada..." Mimi said while slipping on her pink fishnet stockings...They had holes in them, but Roger thought they looked sexy on her anyway.<br>"Now you know I don't know Spanish, Mimi..I mean besides Hola and Como...whatever...!" Roger said with a tint of annoyance in his voice.  
>Mimi laughed, pulling on her black studded ankle boots and dabbing glitter on her dark brown eyes. Mimi came out of the bedroom and struck a sexy pose for Roger in the doorframe which really needed a good scrubbing.<br>"Finally...I thought you'd never get done...how many times did you change anyway?" Roger asked.  
>"At least 20" said Mimi grinning. Roger sighed and said "Let's go" waving her to go ahead of him as he locked the sliding metal door behind them.<br>Mimi and Roger walked down the street, keeping their eyes cast downwards so they wouldn't have to look at the homeless people that scattered the sidewalks and bus stops. Mimi grabbed Rogers leather jacket collar, pulling him up into a kiss. They breathed in each others scent, taking their time, forgetting they had people to see and somewhere to go. "_Shit!" _they both thought at the same time, almost galloping to the Life Cafe  
>As they entered the infamous restuarant where they all shared a song so long ago, an eerie sadness slowly crept into their hearts This is where once they shouted all the things that made them Bohos and danced like there was no tommorow with all of their best friends. That was all over with now that Angel was gone, Collins committed suicide, Maureen died of luekemia, and Joanne died in a car accident...It seemed like without their family, Mimi, Roger, and Mark would all die of heartbreak, but through the newbies, Evangeline the "rich-girl-turned-ballerina-turned-poor-dancer-bisexual", Heather the "migrated-from-NJ-to-NYC-writer-pansexual", Tiffany the "gay-drag-queen-who-is-obsessed-with-Judy-Garland-and-wears-WAY-too-much-glitter-on-her-eyes-who-is-HIV-postive", and Toby the "black-gay-guy-who-plays-jazz-piano-and-sings-too-much-Stevie-Wonder-with-AIDS", it looked like they were building a new family of their own. It would never replace their old crew of course, but a new family is a family all the same.<br>Mark and the crew sat eagerly at their tables chatting about art, music, literature and occasionally Franzia wine when they heard Mimi clear her throat and turned around to see the lovers with a sigh of relief.  
>"Nice of you to show guys..." said Mark sarcastically as he pushed his glasses back on his nose.<br>"Blame her," Roger said pointing to Mimi "she's the GIRL". Mimi elbowed him in the ribs and smiled as she went over to hug Tiffany who was plucking at her wig, and humming "Rockabye Your Baby With A Dixie Melody" by Judy Garland in her glitter compact pocket mirror.  
>"Hey, Hey, Hey you!" Tiffany said in her natural Judy Garland-esque voice, probably brought on by smoking cigarettes.<br>"You know, Mimi, Tiff, always needing to look pretty every second" said Heather, chewing on her pencil cap and scribbling a poem on a Life Cafe napkin in her oversized sweater and jean shorts.  
>The bunch then traditionally pushed their tables together (although the waiter, Rodreigo, had told them not to) and ordered wine and beer to wash down their Heuvos Rancheros. Evangeline ordered a salad because in her own words "I'm auditioning for the new ballet in town, Sleeping Beauty, so I need to watch my figure" but they all just rolled their eyes at her and scarfed down, laughing at Tobys jokes and Tiffanys impersonation of Mimi. "Ooh, oww, mamacita, I dance at the Cat Scratch and I'm such a tease" said Tffany in a fake Spanish accent. Roger doubled over and soda came shooting out of Mimis nose and sprayed on the table.<br>Two hours had passed, the Cafe was closing, so they all said their goodbyes and headed home, half of them drunk and half of them tipsy with laughter. Mark went to sleep over Heathers house for the night to give the two some privacy. Mimi and Roger strutted down the street whispering sexy sentiments in each others ears while the whole of Alphabet City seemed weirdly quiet for this time of night.  
>The sliding door opened with a shutter and Mimi threw her purse and lepoard coat on the couch and lazily flopped next to Roger who gripped her thigh and kissed her neck, leaving Mimis skin burning wherever he touched. Roger stood up and offered Mimi his hand when Mimi suddenly jumped on Roger and wrapped her legs around his waist, running her fingers through his hair and unbuttoning his shirt and throwing it to the floor. Roger pushed open the door to his bedroom and kicked it shut behind him, kissing Mimi passionately. He gently dropped her on his bed, stripping off his clothes. Mimi slowly took off her clothes and Roger groaned, becoming impatient. Mimi laughed, quickly shedding her remaining garments.<br>Roger kissed Mimi all over her body, tightened his hands around her breasts until finally he went inside her, pushing in gentle but fast with a moan. Mimi all of a sudden was traveling back in time to a peice of a her past she wished she forgot.  
><em><strong>"Hold the hell still!"<br>"Please, please, don't do this!" Mimi cried  
>and then...<br>**_"Mimi, babe, why are you crying?" Roger asked "Am I hurting you?" he said stopping.  
>"No, no, it's great hun really"<br>"You're a bad liar you know, I could tell you weren't there, who were you thinking about?"  
>"No one..."<br>"Are you cheating on me?"  
>"WHAT? no, I was just..."<br>"Don't give me that bullshit, Mimi, for the past month everytime we have sex, i don't know you like...blank out...who were you thinking about?"  
>Mimis heart quickened, her hands started shaking and her head started to feel numb. She was going to have to tell him.<br>Roger squatted in front of her to look into her eyes "What the fuck is wrong with you, Mimi? Are you high or something...because if you are I swear to God I will leave you and never come back..and...  
>As Roger rambled on, Mimi felt a sob rise in her chest and came out her mouth with the 4 words she least expected to say tonight...<br>"Roger, I was raped."

OOH, duh duh duh...Whats Roger going to do, how will he react? Please review, I LOVE you people...This chapter may seem stale, but I swear it'll get better! Review or no god awful champagne. 


	2. Act I, Scene II: Fistful Of Tears

A/N-Thank you so much guys for reviews, it's nice to know I have a couple of diehard fans of my work =D... But no blue rubber Mimi pants or Angels' Santa Claus outfit until I get MORE reviews! If I don't get enough views, how will I (lose my dignity-sorry I had to do it *haha*) know it's worth continuing the story? Review or Jonathan Larson will come out his grave and start playing his loud keyboards outside your house with his cat scratching at your window!

*plus the next chapter will have more cliffies* DUH DUH DUH!

This chapter is named after the song Fistful Of Tears by Maxwell (b/c it's perfect and beautiful) I think I will name all my Save Me chapters after songs =D

How weird is it that I got the idea to this story while I was drinking a Diet Coke? (all you RENTheads take notice to the "Over The Moon" reference) just saying...Sorry it took me so long to update, I've been working on my novel a lot...

Same as always, flashbacks will be in bold, Spanish lingo/thoughts will be in italics, the rest of the story in regular font.

Disclaimer-RENT and anything it's attached to will NEVER be mine (unless I happen to marry Adam Pascal later in life, then HE WILL BE MINE! ALL MINE! *evil laugh*) so don't put my story in the shredding machine, big corporal society who likes to mess with little fanfic writers like us!

Act I, Scene II: Fistful of Tears

The next thing Mimi heard as she closed her eyes (dreading what she had just said), were loud footsteps and a door slamming. Mimi groggily dragged herself over to their metal table and jumped up onto it, remembering "Your Eyes". Tears poured out of Mimi's eyes as she brought her knees to her chest and hugged them like a little girl squeezing her teddy for comfort. She covered herself with a quilted blanket, ashamed of herself. She looked down at her body, cursing internally. As she closed her eyes slowly, darkness approached.

Rogers P.O.V.

_Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god. Just breathe, Roger relax, you're outside now, you don't have to look into her eyes and see that pain...god, how that hurt. Fuck, why didn't she tell me?Uh, maybe because she knew you'd react like this? SHUT UP! Jesus, look at me having fight thoughts with myself, I must be crazy. Mimi could've told me...I would've...I could've..._

*sighs and sobs*

_She looked at me like I was a monster...her eyes, those...tears...How can I look at her now? Don't be such a coward, Roger. She loves you, you love her...OH MY GOD! What if...? April! What if she...?_

Roger ran noisily into the apartment screaming Mimi's name, the pounding of his heart matching the beat of his steps. His stared at the bathroom door blankly for a few seconds, dreading what he might find. He swung it open, eyes firmly shut. His throat closed up as he recalled the blood on the floor and the message on the mirror, April's dead arms hanging off the...but as he opened his eyes, the tiled room was completely empty. He stampeded into each room calling her name, but all that came back was the echo of his own voice until he heard a small groan and whimper come from the metal table behind the couch..Mimi. Roger sat with his back against the couch, watching his soul-mate with a small smile as a tear rolled down his cheek. Why didn't you tell me? Suddenly, when Roger was almost half asleep, Mimi started shrieking and sobbing as her body got tangled in the blanket. Roger jumped up, eyes wide, and darted over to Mimi's side, gently shaking her awake. Mimi's eyes flung open as her body stiffened against Rogers hands, her body heaving with sobs.  
>"Baby, what's wrong?" said Roger as he felt her flinch beneath his hands.<br>"D-dd-don't t-touch me" she muttered as her body started involuntarily shaking with fear.  
>She climbed off the table and ran for the farthest place away from Roger, tiny pleads coming out of her mouth. Roger stood there dumfounded for a second, until he realized...<br>_She thinks that I...Oh, Mimi, never. _  
>He slowly walked over to her, holding his hands up to show he meant no harm, and sat down near her, but not too close as to frighten her. "Mimi, you know that I.." and just then he tried to hold her hands, but she pulled away, tears rippling down Mimi's cheeks as her lips shook. "you know that I love you and would NEVER hurt you. I can't imagine...<br>His eyelids quivered with unshed tears, bunching beneath his eyes.  
>"If I ever find that son of a bitch who...He couldn't even say the word. "I swear I will..."<br>He noticed his voice getting louder and angrier when Mimi started to rock and curl herself into a tighter ball. He softened his voice and said, "I still love you and I always will." He carefully repositioned himself closer to Mimi and whispered in her ear, "No one is here to hurt you, you're just having a bad dream Mimi" It was then that Mimi's voice rose with sobs that made Roger want to hold her, but he knew better not to. He balled up his fists and rested them on his eyes, refusing to cry anymore. But it came out. Tear after tear that dropped out of Rogers eyes were for Mimi, his love, his life.  
>After what it felt like years of silence, he was slightly frightened at hearing Mimi's quavering voice say "I'm sorry, Roger." He knew the episode was over and he put his arms around her saying "Mimi, you have NOTHING to apologize for, none of this was your fault and you know I love you, babe." Mimi threw her head into his shoulder where she dry sobbed. Roger scooped her up gently, whispering comforting words into her ear as he carried her into the bedroom. He placed her tenderly on the bed, being careful not to scare her again, and slid beside her weeping body, the pain stabbing him hard in the chest. He wrapped an arm around her waist, quietly singing "Your Eyes" as he kissed her tears away and ran a hand through her soft brown hair. Soon Roger heard the sound of Mimi's snoring and smirked a bit remembering his little trick to put her to sleep. He soon overcame to sleep as his mind was puzzled by this one particular thought..."Will things be the same after this?"<p> 


	3. Act I, Scene III: Hurt

A/N-I promise I will become better at publishing chapters sooner...I promise I will become better at publishing chapters sooner...I promise I will become better at publishing chapters sooner...I promise I will become better at publishing chapters sooner...  
>and I promise my chapters will be longer!<br>I'm super uber duper sorry I haven't updated in such a long time. I feel soooo guilty! *sad face* btw, I made a YouTube playlist of songs from the fic, PM me if you want the link! =D *bounces up and down happily*

Disclaimer-I do not own anything involving RENT. *sobs*

This chapter is named after the cover song Hurt by Johnny Cash..I thought the lyrics fit perfectly with the plot! (in Mimi's perspective)

PS to my fans: try to get people to read & comment or I won't take you with me to open up a restaurant in Santa Fe! =D

Some really cute Roger and Mark playfulness in here, maybe a bit OOC, but I don't care, I like what I wrote.  
>-<p>

Act I, Scene III: Hurt

June 14th, 1992 (A/N-a year before my b-day! 13 days after!) lower East Side, NYC, Manhattan, Avenue B, Apartment 16 and 15, 4:23 PM Wednesday

Roger awoke to the sound of taxi drivers' car horns beeping angrily outside his window, which was fogged up by summer rain. Mimi...wait, where was she? Roger looked around frantically and could still smell her shampoo on the sheets, but Mimi wasn't there. He hunted throughout the loft, but it was empty. Worry shot up through Rogers' body, twitching his lips. He thought of all the places she could possibly be, when he heard a sound-a small, soft sound like a lost little child wailing faintly for their mother coming from downstairs.  
>Roger stepped through the glass window to the fire escape, down the stairs and into Mimi's old apartment. Mimi sat there, face blank, in the still vacant flat, the tracks of her tears imprinted on her face as new ones dripped down and off her chin. Suddenly outside, all was quiet besides a few birds chirping and shaking the rain out of their feathers as they perched on the fire escape. Roger silently strode over to Mimi's shaking form and kneeled in front of her, willing himself to stay in one piece. He cupped his hands over Mimi's face and looked into her eyes with love, understanding and a tint of worry, and said,<br>"Mimi, babe I know it hurts, but you have to tell me what happened so I can make the pain go away…" Roger said, fiercely attempting to keep his voice from cracking with emotion.  
>Mimi slowly raised her head to look at him, her face looking deathly pale and her eyes red and puffy, but worst of all, her eyes seemed empty, which deeply frightened Roger.<br>She took a breath almost close to tears again when Roger gently stroked her hand and said "Take your time, babe, I'm here and I'm listening."  
>Mimi softly smiled at him as she pushed his messy blonde head of hair out of his face and looked hard into his eyes as if to say "I love you. Please don't hate me after this."<br>"Well…" Mimi began her voice breaking, _I hate feeling weak like this. _I was at work like 2 months ago and I was done my shift so I..You know, was walking home like usual…" Roger nodded, never leaving her eyes. Mimi's lips started trembling and her body started to tremble as she inhaled a big gulp of air and let it out with a sob, Roger stroking her knees lovingly. "A guy..I-I couldn't see him but, he pulled me into this alley way and I couldn't breathe…I couldn't breathe…" Mimi said rocking like a child, Rogers throat closed up. "He had his hand over my mouth and he said Hey there, sexy I liked what I saw at your show tonight..I want you so bad. "and he licked my ear and pushed me to the ground and...and told me to take off my clothes and I said no, I swear I did Roger, I wasn't-I didn't want-I'm sorry..He ripped off my clothes and…a-ndd..." Before Mimi could finish, she broke down completely, her body heaving with sobs leaving Roger with a wound that he knew would never heal.  
>Roger scooped her up bridal style crooning sweet lullabies in her ear as she apologized to him over and over and clung to his Smashing Pumpkins t-shirt which was wet from her tears.<br>As he entered their loft, he realized Mimi had fallen asleep in his arms. Roger looked down on his broken soul mate and smiled at possibly the cutest thing he ever saw..She was sucking her thumb. He placed Mimi on their couch as a tear fought out of his eye and raced down his exhausted face.

Rogers P.O.V.

9:55 PM

I tiptoed to our bedroom so I wouldn't wake Mimi up as I wiped my face dry of those darn tears that keep sneaking up on me lately. I jumped on my bed sighing heavily as I thought about slowly, painfully killing the man who hurt my Mimi so much. My eyes finally gave in to my minds protest to sleep, when my eyelids dropped and all I could hear was Mimi's childish snores and what he thought were crickets…_Crickets? New York City?...Weird. Whatever. _With that final thought, Roger finally let sleep take him as everything around him became white noise and the blanket became his private cocoon.

11:48 PM

Rogers's eyes shot open when he heard the sounds of Mimi's scream from the next room. He almost broke the doorknob off fumbling half awake to get through the door which didn't seem to want to open. As soon as he got through his eyes first directed at Mimi and then Mark, who was standing on the other side of the room furthest away from Mimi, completely baffled, confusion creasing his brow.  
>Roger walked over to Mimi and sat on the edge on the couch as he looked into Mimi's eyes and said "Everything is alright now. I'm here. Now, I'm just going to go have a talk with Mark in the bedroom. I'll be right back, OK?" Mimi nodded shaken as Roger stood up and gave Mark the signal to follow him. Roger had a difficult time keeping his anger down as he stormed into the bedroom practically dragging Mark by his shirt, scowling at him.<br>"What did you do?" Roger asked, venom dripping off his tongue.  
>"I-I don't know…Mark fumbled.. "I came home after spending the day with Heather and I saw that Mimi was sleeping on the couch, so I walked up to her and shook her shoulder to wake-<br>"You TOUCHED her?" Roger almost screamed.  
>"Wait-what's going on Roger, what are you talking about?" Mark asked utterly confused.<br>Roger took in a shuddering breath.  
>"Listen Mark, but don't say anything until I'm done, got it?"<br>Mark simply nodded, a thick veil of worry covering his face.  
>"Tuesday night when we came home from the Life me and my Mimi we about to have sex you know…and she looked really zoned out like she has for a while now whenever we have sex, and I thought…Roger shook his head "I thought she was thinking about someone else…" Mark saw tears well up behind the sensitive rockers eyes and he put a gentle hand on his shoulder.<br>"Go on." Mark said.  
>"Shewasraped." Roger said quickly, though Mark understood every word and it hit him right in the gut.<br>"Whoa, wait, ho-hold on-whoa, what?" Mark felt like he had the wind knocked out of him and bile threatened to rise out of his throat and land on his striped sweater. He hated that word-That R word. It was so poisonous sounding.  
>".raped." Roger said slowly, those three words obviously so painful for him to say because his head suddenly fell into his hands and he wept, his red t-shirted frame vibrating with quiet sobs.<br>"By who and when?" Mark asked barely able to use his voice he was so shocked and hurt.  
>"Some guy who saw her at the strip club 2 months ago, I don't know. She said she couldn't see him when he happened…Oh god, Mark she told me the whole story and ever since Tuesday night she's not my Mimi anymore. She's afraid of me most of the time and she cries and her eyes look so empty. It's tearing me apart...Roger professed as he let out a mix between a sob and growl.<br>"If I ever find the bastard who…hurt her, I will rip his heart out like he did me and Mimi's"  
>"I know…" Mark said very distant-like. "but we will get through this, just like we did everything else, this may be the hardest blow we've ever taken, next to Angel, and it may take a long time to heal, but I think after all the shit that's been tossed at us, we can handle this." Mark said putting a hand on Rogers back soothingly.<br>"Be careful around Mimi, Mark. This is…really hard for her." Roger said rubbing his eyes.  
>"Of course." Mark assured, pushing his glasses back up his nose.<br>Both boys snuck carefully out of the bedroom with smiling faces on, trying to project love towards Mimi so she wouldn't feel unsafe.  
>Roger crouched to the floor and started crawling to Mimi on hands and knees mock growling at her in an attempt to make her laugh, smile, anything was good enough for him, no matter how small it was.<br>Mark then caught on to his little game and proceeded to run into the bedroom and grab Collins James Bond glasses. Mark dashed out of the room and looked around sneakily looking for someone, pretending to use his fingers as a gun. Mark didn't think it was appropriate to film. He was starting to think that sometimes, it's simply just as good to be a part of the moment and enjoy it instead of using his camera for everything. Mark dashed and tumbled around the room humming the James Bond theme music as Roger made his way over to the couch to try to tickle Mimi's feet. Roger reached out a pinky finger and tickled her pinky toe on her tan foot and stared into her eyes with love and playfulness as he whispered, "and herrrrreeees, the TICKLE MONSTER!" Mark was still in the background, now having switched his character to a ballerina, snatching a tutu from one of Mimi's old Halloween outfits, trying to plié and pirouette with his arms above his head. He hummed a tune from The Nutcracker and made exaggerated facial expressions with each move. Roger had now started doing an impersonation of Mimi dancing, when abruptly Mark was in a teal Halloween wig with a ukulele accompanying Rogers dancing, though he didn't play the instrument very well. Mimi simply stared at the two boys who were ready to give up since it was past midnight, when suddenly Mimi rolled off the couch laughing hysterically. She hit her head on the coffee table on the way down, but that only made her laugh harder. The boys started laughing along with her as Roger lifted her up and twirled her a few times before kissing her on her dry lips.  
>"Feeling a little bit better, Meems?" asked Roger<br>"Mmm-hmm.." Mimi said yawning and rubbing her eyes.  
>Mark smiled feeling triumphant, even though he knew the glimmer of happiness might not last long.<br>Roger carried Mimi off into the bedroom as he struggled to keep his legs straight from fatigue.  
>Mark laughed as he threw himself on the couch closing his eyes and smiling as he fell off into sweet darkness.<br>Roger placed sleepy giggling Mimi onto the bed and scooted in next to her as her covered her and him from head to toe with their comforter, tucking her in like a small child. Roger saw some tears slip down her cheeks and he brushed them away with his thumb stroking her head with the other hand.  
>"Meems, it's ok..shhh"<br>"I'm sorry Rog..I'm such a horrible girlfriend for dumping all this on you."  
>"No, Mimi you're not. This was not your fault, do you hear me? I'm always here for you."<br>"Rog?"  
>"Yes Meems?"<br>"I feel stupid saying this but..I, um, I'm afraid of the dark now, could you maybe turn on a little light and hold me while I sleep?"  
><em>God, she's so damn cute when she acts like a little kid. <em>Roger thought.  
>"Sure, babe anything for you" Roger said as he leaned down to place a kiss on her forehead before going to turn on their little night light that Roger had gotten when Mimi didn't like the dark during withdrawal. Roger slipped into bed with her and wrapped his arms around her, though not as tightly as they used to, so she wouldn't feel constricted and frightened. Roger fell asleep to the sounds of her soft breathing and Mimi, well, just laid there for what felt like hours upon hours when her eyes drooped shut.<p>

2:05 AM

Mimi's P.O.V. {Flashback Dream}

_I'm walking down the street humming "Your Eyes", that sweet, sweet song Roger wrote me when I was on the brink of passing and I feel hands grab me. I can't breathe. Choking. Choking. A hissing snake like voice..wet on my ear. Oh my god. Why this? He wants to have sex with me. Mimi just-just run away kick him do something! His nails, my skin, I can feel his breath down my neck…His nails dig under my skin…my nerves stand up on edge..I feel wetness in the places his fingers were. I smell blood. How did I get on the ground? Please god no…_

End of Flashback dream

Mimi woke up sweating and in a panic hitting Roger in the head as she came up and almost jumped out of bed.  
>"Meems what the-!" but Roger stopped his sentence and softened his tone when he saw Mimi's body and face. Her eyes were almost dilating and sweat glistened on her forehead, her body visibly trembling shaking the bed frame.<br>"Meems?" He said cautiously.  
>Mimi started biting on her lower lip, trying to fight back tears, but she ended up failing when she threw her head between her knees and wailed so loud that he was sure Mark would hear it when sure enough, Mark came rushing in, half cognizant, his glasses falling off his face. Mark adjusted his glasses and looked at Mimi. His heart stopped for a second or two. The girl he had come to love like a sister was falling apart right in front of him. He could no longer keep his emotions in any longer, and a small tear glistened in his blue eye and rushed down his thin face, landing on his bare foot. Roger pulled Mimi close to him and cradled her against his chest breathing words of comfort into Mimi's ear. Mark sat on the edge of the bed, looking upon the couple with sympathy.<br>"You know Mimi, you can talk to us about anything- anything at all if you want." Mark said through the silence, looking at Mimi with kind eyes.  
>"What happened, Meems?" Roger asked as he kissing the top of Mimi's head.<br>"I was having a dream…about that that night...I couldn't get away, I couldn't get away.." Mimi kept repeating herself as she hugged her knees and rocked, moving further away from Roger to the other side of the bed.  
>"We need a woman to help, maybe Maureen?" Mark mouthed to Roger.<br>Roger nodded.  
>"We'll call her in the morning." Roger mouthed back.<br>"I'm gonna go back to bed...are you alright by yourself?" Mark whispered to Roger.  
>Roger nodded solemnly.<br>Roger crawled slowly near Mimi who flinched and Roger moved back a bit, his face pained.  
>He just sat up on the other side of the bed, positioning himself just like Mimi, watching her with care and worry. He accidentally fell asleep; his arms still were wrapped around his knees.<br>Mimi looked at her lover and shut her eyes tightly, trying to block out bad thoughts. She smiled at him, crawled over to him and curled up by his side, falling asleep as well.  
>Roger awoke for a bit to the smell of Mimi's hair, and started humming soft lullabies when it started to look like she was having a nightmare again and he went into unconscious bliss once more.<p>

The next day-Thursday, 9:21 AM

Mimi woke up to the smell of pancakes and bananas and smiled. She drug herself out of the bedroom into the "kitchen" where the two best men in her life were making her banana pancakes and a cup of tea while Natalie Merchant sang with 10,000 Maniacs on the radio (she remembered, because it was her favorite band, the Our Time In Eden album) and sighed in bliss.  
>"Sleep well, Meems?" Roger said placing a plate of her favorite breakfast food in front of her giving her a small smile.<br>Mark came out front beneath the sink with a flower in a vase and delivered it ceremoniously to her, beaming at Mimi.  
>Mimi giggled at all the pampering and said "Jeez, guys you don't have to do that!"<br>"Well, we wanted to.." they both said as they both laughed and realized their jinx.  
>Mark brought over a large glass of chocolate milk and softly patted her cold hand.<br>Before Mimi could even get through half of the mountain of pancakes she had on her plate, a song came on the radio that froze her in her seat. Mimi knocked over her chocolate milk, falling off her chair, startling the two guys. Roger ran over to pick Mimi up while Mark cleaned up the milk, and as Roger picked her up, he could feel her shaking like a leaf underneath his large hands. She started breathing funny, her face turning pale and her knees about to give out. Mark rushed up besides her gently putting a hand on her shoulder and asking "Mimi…are you ok?"  
>She started stammering "Um, I, um-I-I don't know..that song came on and…"<br>Seeing her get upset, Mark walked over the radio and switched it off, tears making his view hazy.  
><em>What happened to our Mimi? That monster killed her inside. That's what happened.<em>  
>Roger was holding her hand, singing Your Eyes in her ear when she suddenly jumped like her hand was on fire, mumbled something that sounded like "I have to go to the bathroom, um, be right back…"<br>Roger and Mark were left standing heartbroken, their attempt at giving Mimi a great morning failed.  
>Roger went to go follow her, but Mark reached out for his hand and said "Leave her alone for a bit"<p>

Mimi ran into the bathroom and slammed the door, her back crashing against the back, as she slid down into a fetal like position, bursting out with dry quiet sobs. She paced the bathroom trying to stop the memory from flashing over and over again but it was hopeless. She rubbed her arm, thinking back on her time with heroin, but pushed the thought aside quickly. She sat on the toilet, her hands gripping the sides, turning her knuckles on her pretty hands white. She rocked and rocked and squeezed her eyes so tight she began to see some spots. She opened the medicine cabinet to find something, anything, a Tylenol for her headache, SOMETHING. Mimi saw a reflection of something silver and saw it was a razor. As the memories of two months ago kept hitting her mind like an ongoing train, she tore a page out of a magazine they kept in there and took out her pink lipstick and wrote a note. Impulsively, she sat the note on top of the toilet, sat on the toilet, and squinted at the razor, the shiny ticket to freedom that was between her fingers. She held the razor with shaking hands and slowly brought it up to her neck and slid it across.

Mark and Roger were cleaning up after themselves when they both heard a loud thud coming from the bathroom that shot both their heads up quickly. Roger ran to the door and knocked on it precisely four times.  
>"Mimi, are you ok in there?" Roger asked gently.<br>Mark stood behind him, scratching the back of his head every few seconds or so nervously.  
>After 5 minutes of knocking, Roger decided it was time to go in.<br>"Meems, I'm coming in, OK? I won't hurt you." Roger warned.  
>Roger found the door open as turned the old doorknob and swung the door open to find…Mimi. Gashes. Neck. Blood.<br>Roger flew to Mimi's side and held her in arms sobbing deeper and louder than he has ever before.  
>"Please, God! No, not again! Not my Mimi!" Roger wailed and screamed.<br>Mimi lay lifeless, a long mutilated slice along the middle of her neck, her face drained of color, her eyes apparent that she had been crying deeply, tear tracks lining her cheeks. Roger tore off a piece of his shirt and tied it around her neck applying pressure while snuggling her into his chest.  
>Roger kissed the tracks away, rocking Mimi's body as Mark called an ambulance.<br>Roger suddenly saw a piece of paper blow to the floor with Mimi's infamous pink lipstick on an ad for some fashion label or perfume or whatever and picked it up to read it:

_Dear Roger, Mark, and whoever else cares about me enough to read this. (_That hurt Roger. Did she think she was not loved? He thought. I loved you with all my soul! He screamed in his head.)  
><em>I don't know how you love me anymore now. I'm a dirty used fucking whore and I will always be. <em>(Roger sobbed again.)  
><em>I have to end this; no one wants a worthless slut around anyway, so why does it matter?<br>Goodbye, Mimi  
>I can't take the pain anymore…<em>(I would've done anything to ease it Mimi, you know that. Roger thought)_  
><em>_I love you, Roger._

Roger crumpled the note and tossed it into the toilet, screaming Mimi's name so painfully that he couldn't talk. He simply held her and wept heavily, kissing her lips and stroking her hair saying "It's going to be alright" Mark sat still and silent as stone, but if you looked closely, you could see bunches of tiny raindrops drizzling down his face, his glasses foggy with tears.  
>The ambulance came a minute later rushing in with their blue suits on and their giant medical bags.<br>As they went to go pick up Mimi's body, Roger gripped her body to his chest, dazed by despair.  
>"NO! DON'T YOU DARE FUCKING TOUCH HER!" Roger screamed.<br>Mark heard the pleas of Roger and stormed into the bathroom and lifted Roger up and dragged him out of the bathroom, calmly and comfortingly telling him "They will save her, let them save her" as Roger wept into the filmmakers shoulder. Mark went to go tell them the quick facts. "She was raped. She had HIV from before. She went in there and after five minutes we found her like that"  
>The blue clad people swiftly placed Mimi's body on the gurney, and carried her outside where butterflies were gathering around each of trees as she passed them, as if they were following her beautiful spirit.<br>Roger and Mark followed behind, having mini panic attacks as they hopped into the back with Mimi.  
>One of the ambulance drivers pulled out a walkie talkie and said these words. "Young woman. HIV+..He paused to take a deep sigh. R-rape victim. He stammered. Suicide attempt.<br>Roger sat red eyed trying to block out the sounds of the sirens as he stared at Mimi and repeatedly said in his head "Don't die on me, Meems" Mark must have sensed his tension and reached over to stroke his knee.  
>The ambulance workers hustled Mimi into the hospital quicker than air and Roger and Mark raced beside them when they were stopped by a nurse who told them to wait in these orange horribly uncomfortable looking chairs as she handed Roger paperwork asking, "You're her boyfriend, right?"<br>"Fiancée" he corrected as mark shot him a look through his bloodshot eyes.  
>Roger sighed through a jumble of tears…"I was going to propose this morning." Roger said pulling out a small purple velvet box out of his leather jacket and revealing a small ring with Mimi's birthstone in it.<br>"I guess it's too late now" Roger said crying into his hands.  
>"She will live, Roger." Mark said his voice.<br>"I don't know, even if she does live, she will never be the same Mimi again, she's gotten so..empty."  
>Roger looked up at Mark with watery eyes.<br>"Well, we can fill her back up then.." Mark said smiling a bit.  
>Roger and Mark exchanged pained but hopeful glances that day, unsure where life was leading them.<p>

A/N-Whew! That was longer than I expected! The words kind of just flew out of my fingers like typing vomit. I hope you enjoy and I hope I can get more reviews! GRR, I want reviews! *steals your cookies*


	4. Act I, Scene IV: Storm

A/N-I'm sorry it's been so long since I've updated..I'm a lazy bum..I originally wanted to do this chapter in all Mimi's POV, but decided to do both points of view instead. I'm kind of just winging it like I do with all my writing, so expect some good confusion and surprises =) The song I chose to name and theme this chapter is Storm by Lifehouse (yes, it's a religious song, but the lyrics fit PERFECTLY with the plot, and it's meaning is beautiful, religious or not) It's really funny that what sparked inspiration for this chapter was drinking Diet Coke (all you RENTheads catch my Over The Moon reference?) Ok, so this Authors Note is getting too long...sorry sorry...

Disclaimer-Blah blah blah, I don't own RENT and didn't write it or anyone who was lucky enough to become a character in it...and my life truly is missing an important element because of it *mock sobs*

Here's the hospital I mention: .com/images/loc_

The chapter is named after the song Storm by Lifehouse

P.S. to my fans (I really only have one *tear*) PLEASSSSEEE get more people to R&R or I won't take you oouuuuuuttt tonight!  
>-<p>

Act I, Scene IV

Lennox Hill Hospital, New York City, Manhattan, 12:13 PM, Thursday, 1992

The purple velvet box weighed heavily in Rogers jean pocket as he paced the floor staring at his leather booted feet. The noise around him was stabbing his brain rhythmically from the receptionist's typing to the clicking of doctors pens to the ringing of telephones, each sound made Roger all the more anxious. Mark was sleeping in a uncomfortable position in that chair that looked like it belonged in a kindergarten, his head tilted back against the wall and his legs crossed at the ankles. Rogers hands trembled as he stared down the long hallway at the double doors which Mimi had been brought through, pale and bleeding, just three hours ago.  
>The sign said Lennox Hill Hospital ER.<br>Roger and Mark's heads both raised sharply as a man in a white coat and a name tag that said "Dr. Happy" walked out and greeted them with a calm demeanor. _Dr. Happy? I'm not fucking happy. _Roger thought.  
>"Are you the family of Mimi?" the doctor asked<br>"Uh-huh" they both said as they walked up, shook his hand, and thanked him full heartily.  
>"No need to thank me fellas, it's just my job." Dr. Happy said.<br>"How is she doing?" Roger asked hoarsely.  
>"Mimi is doing well, despite the severity of the incident, she's stopped bleeding, and I've given her plenty of pain medicine to help her sleep. Ms.-<br>"Mrs." Roger addressed.  
>"MRS. Marquez should be up in an hour or so, meanwhile boys, I'll take that paperwork and maybe you could call Mimi's other family?"<br>"I'll call the gang..." Mark said tired and groggily.

(An hour and a half later...*authoress sits in the corner munching on Ritz crackers and spinach dip as the characters remain frozen*)

3:23 PM

The six of them were in that waiting room that smelt like death, waiting for their Mimi to wake up. The room seemed to be closing in on them, as if their world was collapsing. Bleach shined on the linoleum, soaking the air around them.  
>"I can't believe..." Toby said crouched over in a chair, his face in his hands.<br>"I know..." Evangeline said, slowly sitting down beside him, her tiny fingers entwined in her long blonde hair, twirling the strands.  
>"And she's not up yet?" Tiffany asked Roger, wiping her eyes, making blue smudges.<br>"Nope. The doctor keeps saying it'll be soon." Roger huffed as he shrugged and rolled his eyes.  
>Heather was curled up on one of those tiny chairs, wrapped in a cream extra over-sized sweater,white leggings, a skirt and slippers, crying into her sleeves, which hung over her hands.<br>Mark walked to Heather and put his skinny arms around her, pushing his cheek against hers.  
>"It's going to be alright..shh" Mark said as he held the sensitive writer and stroked his hand over her back.<br>A white dress emerged from out of nowhere and called "Davis, Roger?" and he walked over to the woman, back aching, his blonde hair sticking to his face where his tears had dried.  
>"You can go see her now."...Her name-tag said Bertha.<br>Roger calmly strode down the hall past rooms of weeping people, listening to see if Mimi was one of them, when he reached a closed door with the number 213 on the white door. Roger paused outside the door, preparing his heart for unbelievable pain, when he heard a sound. Mimi was whispering a prayer.  
>"Please, dear God, why did you let me live? Roger will never love me after this..Never! she half screamed her voice dry and hoarse "Do you understand what has been done to me, God? Do you? He took my soul and ripped it from me and now I'll never get it back. I love Roger I do, but now that I'm a mental case, he shouldn't be around me...I doubt he still loves me after what I've done..." Mimi choked off her last words are she twirled her hair around her fingers and cried.<br>Roger stood shocked at what he had just heard, his eyes unblinking. Sure, he was upset at Mimi for leaving him, but he understood why she did it. He swallowed back the tears that had misted his eyes, took in a deep breath and knocked on the door.  
>"Come in.." a voice sounding so unlike Mimi's said.<br>Roger stepped through the door closing it behind him, trying to focus on what he wanted to say.  
>Mimi cleared her throat as she stared out to the butterflies that have been flying around her window since she entered the room. "Roger..I'm so-<br>"Don't say anything..." Roger said softly as he walked over to Mimi's bed and took her hands in his own. "I still love you Mimi, and I will never stop loving you, not even when we're in Heaven..together. I am not angry at you, he said as her took her chin in his hand and brought her face up to meet his eyes. "I am upset that you didn't come to me, Mimi, I know that you think I don't understand, and maybe I don't really, but here..." He said as he touched one of Mimi's hands to his heart "in here... I.. feel your pain Mimi, because all my heart has ever done was love you since that day you showed up at my door. You can come to me, Mimi, you can...if you're hurting." He took Mimi's face in his hands and said "Mimi, no matter what you want to believe, we will get through this and you will smile everyday again" he said as he kissed the top of her head and embraced her, letting his tears flow freely. He felt Mimi's shoulders shaking and kissed her tears away.  
>Roger then got up and pulled a chair by her bed, placing his hand over hers.<br>"Where is everyone?" Mimi asked.  
>"Out getting you a surprise.." Roger said smiling as he tilted his head back and observed those butterflies that seemed to follow Mimi around.<br>The door suddenly burst open to reveal Mark, Evangeline, Toby, Heather, and Tiffy carrying all sorts of balloons, platters of food (because you know how that hospital food is), drinks and bunches of flowers. Mark stepped up first, adjusting his glasses as he handed her a bouquet of her favorite flowers...daisies. Tiffany immediately pushed past everyone else and took a seat beside Mimi smiling saying "We're gonna doll you up, girl!" as she did Mimi's makeup. Mimi's face lit up as Roger looked on happily, glowing with Mimi's own inner joy, as if Roger was synchronized with Mimi's soul. Heather nervously walked up to the bed, holding a small hospital notepad, blinking away tears and biting her lip. "Mimi...I...wrote you a story...it's not sad...I thought you might like it." and as Mimi flipped through the few pages, she threw her head back in laughter, near crying from laughing so hard. Toby was left last, stepping up with a boombox and a CD "Mimi.." he said flicking her nose, "I have something really special for you.." he said as he turned on the stereo and the instrumental for "Ribbons In The Sky" by Stevie Wonder oozed out of the speakers. Toby began singing, which is a sound so beautiful, that you have no choice but to move to it, so as Toby continued singing Tiffany came over and wrapped her arms around him, starting to slow dance. Mark walked over to Heather in a very nonchalant way and offered Heather his hand, as he pulled her into a twirl. Evangeline danced contently by herself, pirouetting and doing pointe so beautifully, everyone stopped to look at her. Roger strolled over to Mimi's bedside, his hands elegantly together behind his back, his leather jacket swishing with each movement. Roger smiled down at Mimi, pulling one of Mimi's favorite shirts, his extra extra large Well Hungarians t-shirt, from behind his back handing it to Mimi. Mimi pulled it from his hands giggling as she smelt it.  
>"It smells just LIKE him." Mimi thought, breathing in her lovers scent.<br>Roger chuckled as Mimi threw on the t-shirt over her hospital gown, lovingly taking her time.  
>Roger bowed in a Victorian way, asking, "May I have this dance, Mimi?"<br>She nodded biting her nails as Roger lifted her up so very carefully, holding her in his arms like a baby. She brought her lips to his as they kissed passionately, receiving a chorus of "Awwww"s. Roger swayed side to side to the music effortlessly, staring into Mimi's big brown eyes, which he was glad to see were shining with life. As the room filled with love and life for those few hours, Roger was truly starting to believe that it was possible for his and Mimi's heart to heal. While the Bohemian's waltzed around the room, butterflies were dancing by the windows, blissfully fluttering in the summer breeze.

A/N-Part of the next chapter will be about those special butterflies, can you guess why they follow Mimi? Virtual cookies to anyone who can guess!


End file.
